What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantLimnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningTremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract
AntioxidantNiacinamide
SmoothingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantPanthenol
Skin ConditioningUrea
BufferingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantAvena Sativa Kernel Extract
AbrasivePelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil
MaskingRose Flower Oil
MaskingCitrus Aurantifolia Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningHovenia Dulcis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Limon Fruit Extract
MaskingCocos Nucifera Fruit Extract
EmollientOpuntia Ficus-Indica Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePropanediol
SolventArgania Spinosa Kernel Oil
EmollientCanola Oil
EmollientHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientSodium Lactate
BufferingPolyglyceryl-10 Stearate
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningXylitylglucoside
HumectantArginine
MaskingAnhydroxylitol
HumectantXylitol
HumectantCeramide AP
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningMyrtus Communis Oil
MaskingFerula Galbaniflua Resin Oil
AntimicrobialThuja Occidentalis Leaf Extract
AntioxidantVanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningRosa Canina Fruit Oil
EmollientCitrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
MaskingOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
MaskingJasminum Officinale Oil
MaskingCitrus Grandis Peel Oil
MaskingPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin ConditioningCedrus Atlantica Bark Oil
MaskingLavandula Angustifolia Oil
MaskingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Water, Glycerin, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Ceramide NP, Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract, Niacinamide, Sodium Hyaluronate, Panthenol, Urea, Allantoin, Tocopherol, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Rose Flower Oil, Citrus Aurantifolia Fruit Extract, Hovenia Dulcis Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Fruit Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Propanediol, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Canola Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Sodium Lactate, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Carbomer, Pentylene Glycol, Xylitylglucoside, Arginine, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, Ceramide AP, 1,2-Hexanediol, Myrtus Communis Oil, Ferula Galbaniflua Resin Oil, Thuja Occidentalis Leaf Extract, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Jasminum Officinale Oil, Citrus Grandis Peel Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Cedrus Atlantica Bark Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningRosa Damascena Flower Water
MaskingSalvia Officinalis Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCalanthe Discolor Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Callus Culture Extract
Skin ConditioningRhododendron Ferrugineum Leaf Cell Culture Extract
Skin ConditioningVaccinium Vitis-Idaea Fruit Extract
AntioxidantChenopodium Quinoa Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingCeramide As
Skin ConditioningPolyglutamic Acid
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantChondrus Crispus Extract
Skin ConditioningSqualane
EmollientRaspberry Ketone
MaskingTocopherol
AntioxidantPelargonium Graveolens Oil
MaskingRosa Damascena Flower Oil
MaskingCitrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
MaskingLavandula Angustifolia Flower Oil
MaskingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingCitric Acid
BufferingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Salvia Officinalis Water, Glycerin, Calanthe Discolor Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Callus Culture Extract, Rhododendron Ferrugineum Leaf Cell Culture Extract, Vaccinium Vitis-Idaea Fruit Extract, Chenopodium Quinoa Seed Extract, Niacinamide, Ceramide As, Polyglutamic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Squalane, Raspberry Ketone, Tocopherol, Pelargonium Graveolens Oil, Rosa Damascena Flower Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Oil, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid
Alternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil is the oil from the bergamot orange and is primarily used as a fragrance. It has a "fresh" and "bright orange" scent.
The main aroma compounds found in this ingredient are limonene (~27-52%), linalool (~2-22%), and linalyl acetate (~27-40%). These are known EU fragrance allergens.
The term 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term. For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance.
When used topically, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil is a photosensitizer due to the furanocoumarin content. Furanocoumarins absorb UV-A and cause phytophotodermatitis; this can look like redness, blistering, and lasting brown pigmentation on sun-exposed skin.
Due to this, this ingredient is capped at 0.4% in leave-on products applied to sun exposed skin.
Many modern formulas used a "furanocoumarin-free" version that sidesteps the phototoxicity issue, but still contains the fragrance allergens.
Learn more about Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit OilGlycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.
Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.
This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.
Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinNiacinamide is a multitasking form of vitamin B3 that strengthens the skin barrier, reduces pores and dark spots, regulates oil, and improves signs of aging.
And the best part? It's gentle and well-tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive and reactive skin.
You might have heard of "niacin flush", or the reddening of skin that causes itchiness. Niacinamide has not been found to cause this.
In very rare cases, some individuals may not be able to tolerate niacinamide at all or experience an allergic reaction to it.
If you are experiencing flaking, irritation, and dryness with this ingredient, be sure to double check all your products as this ingredient can be found in all categories of skincare.
When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.
When you apply niacinamide to your skin, your body converts it into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NAD is an essential coenzyme that is already found in your cells as "fuel" and powers countless biological processes.
In your skin, NAD helps repair cell damage, produce new healthy cells, support collagen production, strengthen the skin barrier, and fight environmental stressors (like UV and pollution).
Our natural NAD levels start to decline with age, leading to slower skin repair, visible aging, and a weaker skin barrier. By providing your skin niacinamide, you're recharging your skin's NAD levels. This leads to stronger, healthier, and younger looking skin.
Another name for vitamin B3 is nicotinamide. This vitamin is water-soluble and our bodies don't store it. We obtain Vitamin B3 from either food or skincare. Meat, fish, wheat, yeast, and leafy greens contain vitamin B3.
The type of niacinamide used in skincare is synthetically created.
Learn more about NiacinamideSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about Tocopherol